STRENGTH TRAINING TO PREVENT INJURIES AND PERFORM STRONGER

STRENGTH TRAINING TO PREVENT INJURIES AND PERFORM STRONGER

Strength training is important for more than just toning up and boosting your metabolism. For runners it is essential to prevent injuries by balancing areas of weakness in the body and stabilizing the joints. It also improves performance by enhancing muscular endurance for distance and increasing strength for speed.

Core training is especially important for performance, and leg training is especially important for knee injury prevention. Shoulder training is important for beginners who struggle with shoulder fatigue.

An exercise ball is a great way to be able to do a basic workout any time at home. Do 12-15+ reps of each exercise, and two sets as you become familiar with the routine.

*Try these basics as a starting point if you are new to strength training:

Squat against the ball (one or two legs)

Lying Leg Curl (dig heels into ball)

Hint: DO TWO SETS of squats for every set of leg curls; runners tend to have hamstrings that are disproportionately strong compared to their quadriceps.

Basic Crunch on Ball (adjust position on ball to control difficulty level)

Opposite Arm/Leg Raise for the low back

Front Shoulder Raises with light dumbbells

Rear Shoulder Raises with light dumbbells

*This is not a complete strength routine, but rather one that focuses on basic performance and injury prevention for runner. Proper form is essential.